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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH K. KILBOURN, OF PITTS FIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, AND EDW. E. KILBOURN, OF NORFOLK, CONNECTICUT.

NEEDLE FOR KNITTING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 21,566, dated September 21, 1858.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JOSEPH K. KILBOURN, of Pittsfield, in the county of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, formerly of Norfolk, in the county of Litchfield and State of Connecticut, and EDWARD E. KILBOURN, of Norfolk aforesaid, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Needles for Knitting-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 represents a side view of our improved needle; Fig. 2 a side view thereof upon an enlarged scale; Fig. 3 a plan of the same and Fig. 4 a cross section thereof at the line a: m of Fig. 3.

Our improvement has reference to needles used in knitting machines in which stitches are transferred from the needles on which they are formed to others in the same series or row. In such machines it is customary to transfer the stitch from the needle by inserting a pointed instrument through the stitch.

The object of our invention is to facilitate this operation, and it consists in a needle having a secondary groove in its stem to guide the point of the transferring instrument into the stitch which may be upon this stem.

Our invention is particularly applicable to an improved knitting machine devised by us in which the transferring instrument is moved automatically, as it facilitates the entrance of the point thereof into the stitch.

Our improved needle, as represented in the accompanying drawing, has the same general form as the knitting needles in ordinary use, a, being the barb of the head, which as usual, when depressed to cast off stitches, is received into a groove in the stem. Behind this groove there is a secondary groove 6, which is formed in the stem of the needle upon that part thereof which the stitch of yarn encircles at the time transference is to be effected; so that the point of the transferring instrument, which is entered in this groove, is by it guided into the stitch upon the stem of the needle.

The construction of our improved needle may be modified without effecting the principle of the invention, as the groove may extend entirely through the stem, thus f0rming a longitudinal slot, or the stem may be constructed in such manner that the secondary groove 5 connects with that in which the barb of the needle is received. Or, if found expedient, the secondary groove may be formed in the side of the stem, or in the bottom thereof.

WVhat we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The improved knitting needle having a secondary groove in its stem substantially as herein set forth.

JOSEPH K. KILBOURN. EDWARD E. KILBOURN.

Vitnesses as to Joseph K. Kilbourn:

W. R. PLUNKETT, JOHN C. VVEsT.

Witnesses as to Edward E. Kilbourn:

JOHN L. MILLS, PETER Queries. 

